More water provided to Sindh provinces: IRSA Chairman

ISLAMABAD, May 16 (APP): Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power Tuesday was apprised that Indus Water River System Authority (IRSA) had provided more water to Sindh province than its indent in April.
The committee headed by Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasir, discussed acute shortage of water in Sindh, share of water of all provinces, progress on completion of Khado Grid Station (Malalkand) and electricity share of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO).
Briefing the committee, IRSA Chairman Syed Mazhar Ali Shah said the Advisory Committee had already announced 10-15 per cent shortfall in the system for Kharif season during April.
However, there would be shortfall in rest of the season, he added.
He said Sindh was getting full water share as per availability
of the water.
He said water was being provided to Sindh from Mangla Dam.
Taj Haider said the Sindh faced water shortage during early
Kharif season.
He said Bhasha Dam should be built besides desilting of already dams in order to store more water.
He feared that dead level of the dams would increase gradually if these were not desilted.
The additional secretary Ministry of Water and Power said study was carried out for desilting of dams but it was very expensive.
He said work on Dasu Dam Phase-1 had already been started. Similarly PC-1 of Mohmand Dam has also been approved and now it would go for tendering process.
He said the dam would not only generate 800 MW electricity but also help mitigate floods.
He said the commission set up on the directive of Supreme Court in 2010 had also recommended construction of Munda (Mohmand) Dam.
However, he conceded that it was criminal negligence that work could not be started on the dam.
He said three LGN based power projects having accumulative capacity of 3600 MW would fully operationalized by December.
Bhikki Power Plant had already started supplying around 700 MW to the national grid system while Haveli Bhadar Shah Power Plant would also start generation by this month.
Similarly, Sahiwal Coal Power Plant was also expected to start contributing power supply to the system by next month, he said.
The secretary said work on Kittchi Canal Phase-1 was in full swing and efforts were being made to complete it by December.
The PESCO Chief apprised the panel that PC-1 of Khado Grid Station (Malakand) was approved in November 2016.
He claimed that less power load-shedding was being carried out in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
He said out of total 928 feeders, zero load-shedding was being observed in 64 feeders.
However, he said more load-shedding was being carried out in Swat, Hazara and D I Khan due to system constraints.
The official of National Power Control Centre (NPCC) informed the committee that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was drawing less electricity than its demand.
The meeting was also attended by Senators Nisar Muhammad, Dr Ghous Muhammad Niazi, Taj Haider, Ahmed Hassan, Nauman Wazir, Mohsin Khan Laghari and other senior officials from the ministry and IRSA.